Ridge Soaring Gliderport

Ridge Soaring Gliderport

is a public-use glider airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the central business district of Unionville, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is privately owned by Knauff & Grove, Inc.

This FBO airport is world famous for ridge, thermal and wave soaring. It is located on U.S. Route 220 (alternate) 8 miles south of Interstate 80, between Unionville and Julian, at the base of the Bald Eagle Mountain ridge. It is also approximately midway between Altoona and Lock Haven in the Bald Eagle Valley. Visitors can look at an entire wall of U.S. National and World records that have been set from this airfield.

Facilities and aircraft

Ridge Soaring Gliderport covers an area of 90 acres (36 ha) at an elevation of 815 feet (248 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 7/25 with a 3,322 x 150 ft (1,013 x 46 m) asphalt and turf surface.

For the 12-month period ending June 30, 2006, the airport had 18,000 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 49 per day. At that time there were 34 aircraft based at this airport: 88% glider and 12% single-engine.

There is a bunkhouse with showers on the airport and motorhome facilities.

A repair shop with a full-time A&P mechanic is also on the field.

Airport facts

* Portions of the 1999 movie "The Thomas Crowne Affair" were filmed here.
* Co-owner Thomas L. Knauff set five FAI world records, and over 50 NAA national records flying from this airport.
* Co-owner Doris Grove set three FAI feminine world records flying from this airport, and was the first woman to fly a glider more than 1000 km.

References

External links

* [http://www.eglider.org/ Official web site]
* [http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/14923653.htm Centre Daily Times, Jun. 28, 2006, "A different kind of bird", feature article]
* [http://www.sac.ca/cas/hangarflying/ridgeprimer/gillespie1.html A New Pilot’s Primer To Flying At ‘‘The Ridge'’]
*


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ridge lift — (or slope lift ) is created when a prevailing wind strikes a geologic obstacle that is large and steep enough to deflect the wind upward. If the wind is strong enough and the ridge high enough, it provides enough force for gliders to stay… …   Wikipedia

  • Doris Grove — is an American world record breaking glider pilot, flight instructor, and a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame. She was an early pioneer of ridge soaring in the Ridge and valley Appalachians in the 1970s, ultimately setting three world… …   Wikipedia

  • Seneca Rocks — Seneca Rocks, formerly the Cliffs of Seneca , is a large crag and local landmark in Pendleton County in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, USA. It is easily visible and accessible along West Virginia Route 28 in the Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks… …   Wikipedia

  • Bald Eagle Mountain — A Scimitar glider ridge soaring on Bald Eagle Mountain near Lock Haven, Pennsylvania Elevation …   Wikipedia

  • Peter Masak — Infobox Scientist name = Peter C. Masak image width = 350px caption = Peter Masak ridge soaring his Scimitar glider on Bald Eagle Mountain near Lock Haven, Pennsylvania birth date = birth date|1957|8|17|mf=y birth place = Canada death date =… …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Knauff — Thomas L. Knauff (born 1938) is an American author, glider pilot, flight instructor, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Designated Pilot Examiner, and a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame. He was an early pioneer of ridge soaring in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Список аэропортов штата Пенсильвания — Соединённых Штатов Америки, сгруппированных по типу. Содержит все гражданские и военные аэропорты штата. Некоторые частные и ныне не используемые аэропорты могут находиться в списке (например, если ФАА зафиксированы коммерческие перевозки или… …   Википедия

  • Bald Eagle Valley — The Bald Eagle Valley of central Pennsylvania, United States is the low lying area draining into the Bald Eagle Creek between the Allegheny Front and the Bald Eagle Mountain ridge, south of the West Branch Susquehanna River, in the Ridge and… …   Wikipedia

  • Grob G103a Twin II — NOTOC The G103a Twin II (originally designated the G 118) is a high performance two seater sailplane made by Grob Aerospace. The aircraft is of T tail configuration, and is fitted with a non retractable undercarriage and upper surface airbrakes.… …   Wikipedia

  • STOLport — A STOLport or STOLPORT is an airport designed with STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) operations in mind, normally having a short single runway. The term does not appear to be in common usage as of 2008. Several attempts were made from the late… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”